There's big news brewing in the laptop world. Taiwan's own ASUS, a company that has already made significant waves in the tech industry, reportedly announced bold intentions earlier this year: they're aiming to climb the ranks and secure the spot as the third largest laptop manufacturer globally by the year 2011.
Fueling these ambitions, recent reports from the Chinese-language Commercial Times, and detailed by DigiTimes, suggest that ASUS isn't just dreaming big – they might be making strategic moves. According to these sources, ASUS Chairman Jonney Shish has indicated that discussions are underway with TOSHIBA regarding a potential takeover or merger. This certainly points to a determined effort to achieve their market position goals.
A Look at ASUS's Journey
ASUSTek, more commonly known as ASUS, has a rich history. Founded back in 1989 by a team of four engineers, the company has grown into a multifaceted tech giant. Their product portfolio is extensive, covering everything from notebook computers and PDAs to servers, motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, networking gear, mobile phones, and even computer cooling systems.
Many will recognize ASUS as the company that truly popularized the netbook category with the introduction of its groundbreaking EEE PC.
Financially, ASUS has seen impressive growth. In 2008, their revenues hit a staggering $22.9 billion. Their dominance in the motherboard market is also noteworthy; as of June 2009, it was estimated that 34.3 percent of PCs sold worldwide in 2008 featured an ASUS motherboard. The company's global presence is further underscored by its listings on both the London Stock Exchange and the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
Looking ahead to 2010, ASUS has set a target to ship over 16 million notebooks, a figure that includes their popular netbooks. This would represent a significant jump of roughly 4 million units compared to their 2009 shipments. Back in October, Mr. Shish expressed optimism that the launch of Windows 7 would provide a healthy boost to the notebook industry overall. He also noted that around 30% of EEE PC netbooks were already shipping with Microsoft's latest operating system.
The Potential Impact of a Toshiba Deal
Currently, TOSHIBA is understood to be the fifth largest notebook manufacturer in the world, trailing behind industry leaders HP, ACER, DELL, and LENOVO. Should a merger or acquisition between ASUS and Toshiba come to fruition, it could significantly reshape the competitive landscape. Such a move could potentially lead to a considerable increase in combined company sales and might also translate to enhanced satisfaction for end-customers through expanded product offerings and market reach.
The industry will undoubtedly be watching these developments closely as ASUS strives to achieve its ambitious goals.